First post, looking at a Cougar

[Mike&Sandy]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

I have never seen the PMI sheet but many have referred to it floating around. I have an 18 year old camper so my PMI days have sort of slipped away.

Here is the PDI checklist. (I guess PMI is the same as PDI).

MIke

[On The Road Again]

Originally Posted by Javi

https://www.genuinerv.com/

Ask for David Morris.. I bought my last two 5th wheels from him one of which was a Cougar..

I too have bought my last two Keystones from David, though neither was a Cougar.

I might add that David's brother Bob is the service manager and he knows how to properly document warranty claims so that Keystone takes care of the issue.

He and his crew along with the parts department knows what great customer satisfaction entails. And, I don't have to go out of town to get it done.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by Mike&Sandy

Here is the PDI checklist. (I guess PMI is the same as PDI).

MIke

It's all good. George and I like to break each other's, uh, tease one another.

[leroyg]

I can attest to Texas Steve post #10, first time buyer two years ago
drove four hours bought Laredo 330RL. I have not been back since.
Seguin Rv had rig ready and took time to walk me through answer all
my questions. granted small fix up items I take car of yet I feel they
did a good job on prep side. best of luck on purchase
Leroy

[Camping family]

Keystone seems to be good. I have read a lot prior to making our purchase and found out a few things. 1. They all have issues. 2. Depends on who you ask as to if one is better then the other. 3. Your dealer makes all the difference.
We purchased a keystone cougar 29 rks 5th wheel and are enjoying it. Is it better then the others I think so only because we haven’t had any problems.

[ehidle]

Hi Mike&Sandy, I just bought a Cougar 30RKD and it seems like a really good trailer. It's about the same size as the 29BHS but obviously just a different layout. I'm single and no kids so I was going for more living space than bunks.

Your 2500 will tow it just fine, as would a half-ton with a big tow package and a lot more care with weight and balance. I tow mine with a Titan XD diesel and have zero issues whatsoever at ~9000lbs road weight.

There were some minor squawks with mine mainly due to the fact they had been using my unit for donor parts for other trailers while it was on the lot. They replaced all the parts they borrowed and gave me a substantial discount on the trailer, as well as a big gift card to the store (Camping World) and some additional free stuff.

It has been mentioned that dealers are universally swamped right now, especially in the service department. It's good to plan on being handy with your trailer. The few issues I've had, I have been able to fix myself and avoid going back to the dealer.

Good luck! My only regret about my trailer is that I didn't do it 10 years ago.

[Mike&Sandy]

Originally Posted by ehidle

Hi Mike&Sandy, I just bought a Cougar 30RKD and it seems like a really good trailer. It's about the same size as the 29BHS but obviously just a different layout. I'm single and no kids so I was going for more living space than bunks.

Your 2500 will tow it just fine, as would a half-ton with a big tow package and a lot more care with weight and balance. I tow mine with a Titan XD diesel and have zero issues whatsoever at ~9000lbs road weight.

There were some minor squawks with mine mainly due to the fact they had been using my unit for donor parts for other trailers while it was on the lot. They replaced all the parts they borrowed and gave me a substantial discount on the trailer, as well as a big gift card to the store (Camping World) and some additional free stuff.

It has been mentioned that dealers are universally swamped right now, especially in the service department. It's good to plan on being handy with your trailer. The few issues I've had, I have been able to fix myself and avoid going back to the dealer.

Good luck! My only regret about my trailer is that I didn't do it 10 years ago.

Thanks for your experience. I'm thinking that doing it 10 years ago would have been a good idea as well. It's just my wife and I, although, my daughters, 19 and 20 who are both in college for nursing, have expressed the desire to continue going wherever we go, lol. Which is why we're looking at the bunks. Another cool feature, is the outside door going directly to the bathroom, instead of throughout the trailer.

This is going to be our first travel trailer and we think we're going to move up to a fancy class A when we retire to travel more.

Where did you get your rig? And who did you talk with, I'd like to reach out. The closest to us is in Katy, Tx.

[Mike&Sandy]

Well, I'm heading to Katy, Tx, Holiday World next Wednesday to look at a 29BHS. Wish me luck.

[Camping family]

Best of luck

[WJQ]

One piece of advice I tell new buyers of an RV is that it is not just a place to sleep but it is a new hobby! You must be willing to recognize and hopefully anticipate problems. Component failures when you are away from home or your dealer can be catastrophic.

Depending on your personal skill level, many RV repairs are somewhat minor and can be done by the owner with much less hassle than taking the RV to a dealer and picking it back up after the problem is fixed.

I have owned two travel trailers and two motorhomes over the last 40 years. The hobby comment means you will probably have to fix something after most trips or at least fairly often. On the otherhand, the comments above about finding a good used RV are worth considering. My new Cougar had more early problems than any of the earler used RV I have owned. The term "quality workmanship" is an unknown concept in Cougar manufacturing.

[Jon C]

I think if you read you mostly read the bad stuff we bought a new 32 RDB in 2018 we used it in 2019 and took it in for minor warranty work there was a small soft spot in the floor in the bunkhouse and a few other odds and ends of little stuff overall we enjoyed the camper very much long story short keystone came and got the camper and took it back to the factory to fix the floor for weeks later called me and replace It was a brand new 2020 model swapping titles no money changed hands I cannot say enough about keystones customer service they could have fixEd the spot in the floor and never told me that there was a problem with the floor our 2020 model we have used I’ve had a few issues one with the furnace a couple door latches that was fixed under warranty.

[MarvnMabel]

I can say we bought our fiver, a 25RES, this spring and are now dealing with some warranty issues after an active season. A representative flew from Indiana just this week to meet with us and review our camper and issues. If that isn't customer service, I'd be hard-pressed to define it any other way.

[Mike&Sandy]

Wow Jon, that's great customer service. I've changed my plan because Crestview in Georgetown is offering me over 30% off retail on a 2021 29bhs that's still at the factory. They're shipping it down next week, and my wife and I are going to spend the night in it on their property doing the check list that I found on this site.

Thanks again

[rhaney]

Originally Posted by Mike&Sandy

My wife and I are looking at several TT's. In Keystone, we really like the cougar 29bhs. My only sticking point is customer service. After reading some of the online reviews about Keystone, it sounds like there are some real horror stories with warranty issues. I can't imagine this being a systemic issue. Can anyone offer reassurance or tips/tricks to avoid any nightmares please? Thanks in advance.

Mike, The Easter Sunday tornado took our 2 year old Sprinter by Keystone. We replaced it the next day with a Cougar because it was the only think that was available and could be delivered that day. The tornado also rendered our house unlivable. We lived in it for 3 months while the house was being reconstructed. There were several problems with quality issues. It was no where close to the quality of the Sprinter. Two of our issues were serious. My opinion is the Cougar is no where near the quality of the Sprinter. I would be happy to unload this Cougar and get a Sprinter.

[legger99]

Too bad you weren't closer next spring I could cut you a deal on our 2017 29BHS (currently in winter storage). Been a great trailer, but as of now we are looking to get something smaller.

[Mikelff]

Originally Posted by Mike&Sandy

My wife and I are looking at several TT's. In Keystone, we really like the cougar 29bhs. My only sticking point is customer service. After reading some of the online reviews about Keystone, it sounds like there are some real horror stories with warranty issues. I can't imagine this being a systemic issue. Can anyone offer reassurance or tips/tricks to avoid any nightmares please? Thanks in advance.

I would call around and find out what dealers sell Cougar in your area. Then do research on the dealer reputation. You can Google for reviews. If you are set on a new unit, that’s what I would do. You will probably have to order one and wait for it. As others have stated, you should get your best warranty service from the dealer you bought from. With the market so hot right now, Dealers prioritize warranty work, and current customers get first priority, and still have to wait weeks for service. There is a back log on new units so not sure if late fall, which typically is the best time to buy, will get you any deals. Typically right after thanksgiving you start to see deals as dealers are trying to make room for new inventory, but probably not this year. Your other option is to look for a late model used unit. You won’t take such a huge depression hit when you decide to sell. I never buy new RV. People are shocked at the amount of depreciation hit they take from a new unit. Some people don’t care. Good hunting!!

[blubuckaroo]

We bought a new Passport last year from a large dealer in Portland OR. Now I don’t know how Passport sizes up on Keystone’s lineup, but it looked above average to us. Here a year old, and only about 5k miles on it, one tire wore out. It was obviously from an alignment issue. The dealer had to jump through some hoops, but after an appointment in the alignment shop, Keystone sent out two new complete axle assemblies. I can’t blame Keystone for requiring proof of problems. Otherwise they would be taken advantage of. Good job on our repair!

[Mike&Sandy]

Originally Posted by blubuckaroo

We bought a new Passport last year from a large dealer in Portland OR. Now I don’t know how Passport sizes up on Keystone’s lineup, but it looked above average to us. Here a year old, and only about 5k miles on it, one tire wore out. It was obviously from an alignment issue. The dealer had to jump through some hoops, but after an appointment in the alignment shop, Keystone sent out two new complete axle assemblies. I can’t blame Keystone for requiring proof of problems. Otherwise they would be taken advantage of. Good job on our repair!

I have a friend that had the same problem. One tire would wear out prematurely, they changed the axle, all was good.

[Cooter]

We really love our 29BHS. The floor plan works well. I have a 2019 model with 6 week long trips. We have had a few warranty issues. The unit is at dealer now because a staple has backed out under the roof membrane. Keystone will not do anything because it hasn't penetrated the membrane.

[pdaniel]

I owned a Cougar until almost two years ago. I called customer service several times. Waiting for a call back. So, my latest towable is a fifth wheel. The manufacturer’s customer service people will contact you the same day you request assistance. The manufacturer attends owner’s rallies and will perform minor repairs and adjustments-many times gratis. The manufacturer assisted me in getting a warranty reimbursement on a defective air conditioner. Will Thor/Keystone go to that extent?